Halve added sugar in diet to 5%, say nutritionists

People should consume no more than 5% of their total daily energy intake as sugar—half as much as the previous recommendation of 10%, a government advisory group has recommended.1

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommended in a draft report last June that halving sugar intake was necessary to curb obesity and that children and adults should minimise their consumption of sugar sweetened beverages because of an association with type 2 diabetes.2 It has confirmed its recommendations after a period of consultation.

The committee was asked by the Department of Health for England and the Food Standards Agency to examine the evidence on the links between consumption of starch, sugars, and other carbohydrates and fibre and a range of health outcomes, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, bowel health, and tooth decay, to …